Haunted
by EmeraldLily16
Summary: Set ten years after the anime. Nanami and Tomoe now regular humans are happily married and have two kids Geniji and Sakura. But the ghost of a vengeful yokai threatens to destroy their family. Can they protect their children without their god and yokai powers?
1. Chapter 1

Tomoe and Nanami walked home together hand in hand smiling ear to ear. It had been ten years since the two were married and Tomoe had become human and Nanami had become just a regular mortal woman. During that time they had boyh graduated high school, gotten well paid jobs, and moved into a nice house. But the best thing that came out of those ten years were their two children, Geniji and Sakura. Geniji their son and oldest child was just eight years old and he resembled Tomoe in almost everyway when he was a kit minus the fox ears and tail, he also tended to sometimes be sarcastic and snarky like him too but he had his mother's beautiful brown eyes and was spirited and sometimes fearful like her. Their daughter and youngest child Sakura was five years old and the spitting image of Nanami when she was that age, inheriting both her cheerfulness and compassion but she had her father's sparkling violet eyes along with his calm and patient personality.

Those two kids were the most precious things in Nanami and Tomoe's lives. There was nothing in this whole world that the couple loved more than their children. If anything had ever happened to either one of them it would be like a knife in their hearts. But since they were no longer a god and a yokai there wasn't any real danger threatening their family...Or so they thought.

"We're home." Nanami announced as she and Tomoe entered their house.

"Mommy! Daddy!" The five year old brunette with violet eyes cheered as she ran excitedly to her parents. Tomoe picked up little Sakura smiling at her along with his wife.

"Hello Sakura." Nanami said. "Did you have fun with Ami today?"

"Uh-huh and look I drew you a picture." Sakura held up a sheet of paper that had a drawing of a blue butterfly flying in the sun. Nanami and Tomoe felt a twinge of inner sadness when they saw it as it reminded them of Mikage. They hadn't seen him since their wedding day and they had missed him terribly for he had served as a father figure to both of them while also bringing the two of them together. Now every time they saw a butterfly especially a blue one they would think of him.

"Do you like it?" Sakura asked.

"It's beautiful, I love it." Nanami said.

"She's a very good artist." Ami said.

"Thanks so how were they today?"

"Well for the most part they were both fine except for-"

"Sakura!" They heard an angry childish voice shout. Then a white haired boy with brown eyes came running downstairs lunging toward his sister leading to a Chase which was stopped by Tomoe.

"Hold on now! What's going on?" Tomoe asked.

"Sakura messed up my side of the room!" Geniji said. "I spent the whole day cleaning it up and then she came in and messed it up!"

"No I didn't." Sakura said.

"Yes you did!"

"No I didn't!"

"Yes you did liar!"

"Alright that's enough." Tomoe said. "We'll settle this later. Now Geniji I want you and Sakura to go clean your room, I'll be up there to help you in a minute."

Geniji huffed then went upstairs to his room with Sakura following.

"So the kids have been arguing a lot lately." Ami said.

"Over what?" Nanami asked.

"Well for one thing when they clean their side of the room it gets dirty again and they blame the other and then Geniji will tease Sakura for talking to the wall."

"The wall?"

"She says she hears people talking in the wall. I think it's a game she's playing but other than that they're both well behaved."

"Thanks again for babysitting and I hope they haven't given you that much trouble."

"Not at all. See you guys next week."

After Ami left Tomoe went into the kitchen to get started on dinner while Nanami set the table

"So what's on the menu for tonight?" Nanami asked.

"Hamburger steak." Tomoe said stirring the bowl of meat.

"My favorite."

"With shiitake mushrooms." Tomoe said adding them to the meat mischievously.

"Tomoe! You jerk! I hate shiitake mushrooms and so does Geniji! Why do you always do that?!"

"Simple I wish to expand my son's taste in foid and I find your dislike of them rather amusing."

"Well if my dislike of mushrooms amuses you so much then I guess I don't need to 'amuse' you tonight at bedtime."

Her words made Tomoe blush and he begsb to remove the mushrooms from the neat while his wife grinned, grabbed some dishes, and went into the dinning room. She set the table with plates and cups then went to get the napkins and utensils. But when she came back she found the plates and cups gone.

"Huh?" She searched the table but they were no where to be seen. "Tomoe did you move the dishes on the table?"

"I have been in the kitchen cooking this whole time."

"Then where did-" Her question was answered when she found the plates and cups stacked up together on a high shelf. "How on earth did they get up there?"

"They put them up there." Sakura said walking in.

"Who put them up there?"

"The people in the wall."

"Who?"

"The people in the wall, they talk to me all the time."

"Okay." Nanami smiled thinking that it was a game. "And what do you they talk to you about?"

"They talk about you and Daddy."

"And what do they say about me and Daddy?"

"They say that you were once a land god and that daddy was a fox yokai."

Nanami's smile along with her perception that her daughter was just playing a game had fallen and turned to worry. How did Sakura know about that? Neither she or Tomoe had told any of their children about their lives as a land god and fox yokai.

"Sakura who told you about that?"

"I already told you. The people in the wall did. Mommy what's a land god and what's a fox yokai?"

"It's nothing Sakura, listen you go wash up for dinner now alright?"

"Okay Mommy." She said going to the bathroom.

"Geniji can you come here for a second?" Nanami called.

"What is it Mom?"

"Geniji has someone you don't know, someone strange looking, been talking to you or your sister?"

"No."

"Do you know anything about these wall people Sakura mentioned?"

"Yeah Sakura will sometimes talk to the wall and she says that there are people in there talking to her."

"Do you hear anyone in the wall talking?"

"No."

"Okay that's all I wanted to know."

Through dinner and the next few hours of the evening Nanami said nothing else about it. But once she and Tomoe had tucked the kids into bed she pulled Tomoe aside to talk to him about.

"What do you mean Sakura knows about our past lives?" Tomoe asked.

"She says that people in the wall told her that I was a land god and that you were a fox yokai."

"Oh come now Nanami, don't tell me you actually believe that there are people in the wall that only she can hear."

"Of course not but someone told her about us and what's scaring me is that we don't know who."

"Calm down she probably just over heard Ami talking on the phone with that idiot tengu Kurama about old times."

"You sure?"

"Positive. How else could she possibly find out?"

"I guess you're right still sometimes... I don't know."

"What?"

"Sometimes...Oh Tomoe being with you and the kids have made me happier than I've ever been but sometimes I feel like it's all too good to be true and one day something terrible is going to happen and I'll loose all of you."

"Nothing is going to happen. I promise." Tomoe assured his wife. Although deep down he had the same fear. Unknown to Nanami he would have recurring nightmares about some horrible yokai or monster taking Nanami and the kisk away and him powerless to protect them. That was something he had struggled with ever since he had become human. That without his yokai powers he couldn't protect the ones he loved.

Eventually they managed to put their fears and worries to rest and went to bed. The two slept peacefully and undisturbed in each other's arms until they were awakened by something tapping their noses. It was the small hand of Geniji who was standing in their room in his pajamas with Sakura in her nightgown who was clutching a stuffed fox toy.

"Geniji? Sakura? What are you doing in our room?" Tomoe yawned. "Go back to sleep."

"Dad there's something out there." Geniji said.

"Out where?"

"Outside. There's something outside and it's watching us."

"What do you mean? Did you see somebody?"

"No but I know they're there. Somebody's watching us Dad."

"Nanami you wanna take this one?" Tomoe asked his wife hoping she would soothe the kids so he could sleep.

"Sorry Tomoe but they woke you up first." Nanami yawned.

Tomoe huffed then took his kids back to their room. He looked out their window to see if someone was there. He didn't see anyone, all he saw was darkness, grass, a few houses, and an old tree that had been next to the house for years. Geniji had always been afraid of that tree. When he was four he had climbed up that tree and accidentally fell off, Tomoe had managed to catch him before he got hurt real bad but the poor boy had hit his head on a hard root and the experience left him terrified of both that tree and heights.

"There's nothing out there kids now let's go back to sleep."

"You can't see it Dad but you know it's there." Geniji said.

Tomoe immediately went to dismiss his son's worry but stopped when he felt something. It felt like someone was spying on him, he could feel the gaze but he couldn't see anyone or anything. No person or animal, nothing. Surely nothing was there and he was just letting his kids get to him but apart of him still wondered. Weather he believed them or not Geniji and Sakura ended up sleeping in bed with Nanami and Tomoe that night, both unaware that tomorrow things would only get more frightening.


	2. Chapter 2

**Please review**

The next day Tomoe began searching around the area to see if there was anything suspicious. He didn't tell Nanami or the kids because he didn't want to scare or worry them. He had a feeling that something wasn't right but he wanted to make sure of it before he informed his family. Little did he know that Nanami felt the same way. Not last night because she had been sleeping but all day she felt like someone was staring at her and it was a creepy uncomfortable stare. What scared her about it the most was that she couldn't see anyone or anything out of the ordinary.

"Really?...That sounds fun, you think Mommy would do that with me?" Sakura said to the wall.

"Sakura who are you talking to?" Geniji asked.

"I'm talking to grandma."

"We don't have a grandma dummy."

"Yes we do, she's Mommy's Mom and she says that she used to paint with Mommy. Oh what's that Grandma? Okay I'll tell him. Grandma says that you shouldn't call me a dummy."

"Sakura there's no one there."

"You can't see Grandma but she's there."

"Really? Is that right?" He said rolling his eyes. "Uh-huh and she says that we're in danger."

"Kids lunch!" Nanami called as she came upstairs into their room. "I made you some sandwhiches and bamboo rice cakes, you're favorite."

"Mommy! Mommy! We're in danger!" Sakura said.

"What? What is it? What's wrong?"

"She's just talking about the wall people again." Geniji said. "Now she says she can hear our grandma."

"Oh Sakura don't be silly, you don't have a grandmother." Nanami giggled.

"Yes I do she died when you were little." Sakura said.

"Sakura how do you know that?" Nanami said becoming more serious.

"Grandma told me. She says that only you and me can hear her."

"Sakura, Geniji go eat okay? And please don't talk about this anymore."

"Why?"

"Just don't okay."

The kids left to eat. Nanami began picking up their toys while trying to rationalize what her daughter said. Sakura knew nothing about her mother. How could she have possibly known? Had she mentionedsomething about to her before and had just forgotten? Had Ami said something? Just what was going on?

"Nanami." She heard a voice say her name.

"Huh?"

"Nanami. Nanami."

Nanami looked around to see if anyone was there but she could see nothing.

"Nanami."

"Who's there? Who's calling me?"

"Nanami sweetheart can you hear me?"

It was then Nanami realized that voice seemed very familiar. It was gentle, warm, and loving. It was a voice that she hadn't heard in so long. Where had she heard it? Then at once it clicked. She knew who's voice it was and it was enough to bring her to tears.

"M...M...Mom?" She dared to say. "Mom is that you?"

"Yes darling it's me."

"Mom where are you? I can't see you?"

"I know you can't dear but you can hear me right?"

"Yes. At least I think I can. Oh Mom is it really you? Or am I going crazy?"

"It's really me. Oh my sweet Nanami I've missed you so and I'm so sorry that I couldn't be around while you were growing up. I know because of me you suffered greatly during your childhood."

"That...That's not true. Mom what's happening?"

"I don't have much time, you and your family are in terrible danger. Something from your past, something dead, something evil, is coming back. He wants to hurt you. He wants to take everything from you."

"Mom I don't understand."

"Listen to me Nanami you must be brave, be brave and hold on to the love of your husband and children. Don't let him destroy your bonds with each other, the love you have for one another is your only chance."

"Only chance for what? Mom this doesn't make sense."

"I have to go now Nanami, the deceased can only stay in the land of the living for so long."

"No. No Mom! Don't go! Please don't leave me!"

Nanami felt something go through her soul. It felt warm and loving, it almost felt like a pair of gentle arms were holding her as if she was a small child, trying to give her comfort and love.

"My beautiful Nanami, I love you so much and I'll always be there when you need me."

Those were the final words Nanami heard her mother's voice say before the feeling was gone.

"Mom? Are you still there? Mom? Oh Mom don't go away again! I'm frightened!" She was on her knees and began to cry. "Please come back Mom! Please! I need you!"

"Nanami what is wrong?" Tomoe asked when he saw Nanami in tears.

At the moment she couldn't answer she could only weep softly. Understanding that she was not in a state to explain herself he took her into his arms and held her. He cradled her, stroked her hair, and wiped her tears away. He hated seeing her like this. When she was finally able to calm down she told Tomoe everything.

"She was there Tomoe." She said. "I heard her, I felt her."

"Nanami that's impossible. The deceased are forbidden to leave the afterlife, you know that more than anyone here."

"I know but I'm not imaging it. She was really there and she said that we were in danger."

"In danger of what?"

"I don't know but Tomoe I'm getting really worried."

"Now don't panic. I'm going to ask the neighbors if they've seen anyone lurking around or anything else like that."

"Tomoe I think it's more than that."

"Calm down there's nothing supernatural here. Everything will be fine."

He asked around but none of the neighbors said they saw anything out of the ordinary. In the evening before going to bed he checked around the house one more time and like before found nothing. He, his wife, and his daughter quickly fell asleep that night but Geniji couldn't sleep a wink. There was that feeling again, that someone was watching him. Nervous he went to the window to see if anyone was there. He didn't see anything except that tree.

"Hmmph! Stupid tree." He grumbled.

Geniji turned to get back into bed. Suddenly something came crashing through the window, it was the tree which was now moving on it's own. Geniji and Sakura screamed, Tomoe and Nanami woke up instantly at the sound of their children screaming and bolted into the bedroom where they watched in horror as the tree grabbed there son and pulled him outside.

"Geniji!" They cried in horror.

They ran outside after him. Sakura tried to follow them but as soon as her parents left to her room slammed shut. She tried to open the door but it refused to open. Then something appeared in the window. It seemed to be a portal of some sort. A powerful force like a strong wind began to pull her toward it. She grasped on to her bed post as the force continued to pull her.

"Mommy! Daddy!" She screamed holding on for dear life. "Ahhh! Mom!"

"Mom! Mom! Help me! Help me!" Geniji shouted. Outside the tree was attempting to absorb the boy who was screaming in terror. "Dad! Help me!"

"Geniji hold on!" Tomoe shouted climbing up the tree.

"Dad help me! Help me!"

"He's coming!" Nanami called to her son.

"Dad it's pulling me in! It's hurting me! Dad!"

"Tomoe hurry!" Nanami screamed.

Tomoe desperately reached for his son while fighting off the animate branches that were trying to keep him from him.

"Dad I can't breathe! Dad!"

"Just hold on! I'm almost there!"

Nanami could only watch and pray that her husband would reach the boy before he was swallowed up completely.

"Mommy! Mommy!" She then heard the screaming of her daughter. She quickly ran back inside and to the kid's bedroom but couldn't open the door.

"Sakura open the door!"

"I can't! Mommy help me! Mommy!"

Nanami began to kick and bang on the door with all her might, when that failed she grabbed a nearby broom and began to beat the door until it fell down. But as soon as she went inside she got swept up in the force but managed to grab on to the edge of the door way.

"Mommy!"

"Sakura take my hand!" Nanami reached her hand out to her daughter. Sakura let go with one hand and reached for her mother's.

"Mommy! I can't reach you Mommy!"

"Come on sweetie! Just a little closer! You can do it!"

They reached until at last Nanami managed to grab her daughter's tiny hand and using all her strength she pulled herself and Sakura out of the room and ran outside where Tomoe had managed to break through the tree. Wood began to smash itself against his hands as if it was trying to bite him and hurt like a thousand knives piercing his skin but it did not stop him from reaching for his son. Finally he grabbed Geniji, pulled him out, and jumped down. His hands were bleeding and throbbing and aching but he was too relieved that Geniji was alright to care right now.

"Are you okay?" He asked his son concerned.

"Yeah."

He hugged his son tightly, terrified that if he let go the boy would vanish. He then spotted his wife run toward him while clutching their daughter, both them had torn clothes and disheveled hair while trembling. They embraced each other while trying to calm Geniji and Sakura who were crying.

"Nanami what happened?"

"It was in the window! It was trying to take Sakura! Oh God! If I hadn't of gotten there in time I might've-"

She couldn't finished. Due to both fear and because of something she saw. It was a butterfly. A blue butterfly that was glowing.


	3. Chapter 3

"Is that?" Tomoe asked when he saw the butterfly.

"Hello again Tomoe, Nanami." A familiar voice said behind them. They turned to the direction of the voice and saw that the voice did in fact belong to Mikage. "Would you mind if I came into your house so we could have a private conversation?"

It took a moment for them to grab on to the fact that Mikage was actually here and when they did they welcomed him into their house and Nanami put on a pot of tea. Then the couple calmed down their children and got them to go to sleep. But they slept in the living room where Mikage had a quiet talk with them.

"It's very nice to see you both again." Mikage said drinking his tea. "You have a wonderful house and beautiful children."

"It's nice to see you too Mikage but what are you doing here?" Tomoe asked.

Mikage's calm, smiling expression faded as he went silent for a moment then finally spoke.

"I regret to inform you two that I did not come here with good news. By now you've probably noticed strange and possibly dangerous occurrences."

"Yes a tree tried to absorb Geniji and Sakura almost got sucked into some weird portal thingy." Nanami said.

"I figured as much."

"Mikage what's happening?"

"A spirit has escaped from the underworld, an evil spirit and it's chosen to haunt this house."

"Then we better go."

"No good he would only follow you. It would be better if you stayed here."

"He? Who the hell is he?" Tomoe asked.

"He was a yokai in life and he has a personal vendetta against you two."

"Us? Why us?" Nanami asked.

"I don't know but from what I do know he's extremely clever and dangerous and twisted. His soul purpose is to destroy what you two hold dear. That's why I'm here. I'm here to make sure that none of you fall for his tricks."

"What tricks? What's his name?" Tomoe asked.

"I don't know all the details about him yet but one thing is for sure you both are going to have be very cautious until further notice."

"Mikage I'm pretty sure I can handle some posses off dead yokai."

"No you can't. Tomoe you are not yokai anymore, you're a human which means you can't just successfully destroy your enemies with just a swipe of your hand like you used to. Besides this yokai is already dead so handling him will be twice as hard. I'm going to put a barrier around this house, no one can get in without consent from either one of you. So for your own safety don't let anyone in this house and whatever you do don't leave your children alone."

"Why?" Nanami asked.

"You said so yourself Nanami. Both your children were attacked during these occurrences which can only mean he's targeting them."

"What? What do they have to do with this?"

"From what I know this deceased yokai blames you two for the loss of something he considered very precious and he feels that he should make you two suffer the same loss as him by taking away the most precious things in your lives. Your children."

"He'll take them over my dead body." Tomoe snarled quietly.

"Calm yourself Tomoe. We must remain calm."

"You're right." He sighed. "But what are supposed to do?"

"Right now all you need to do is just stay together and watch over your children, leave the rest to me."

"I can't just do nothing while my family is in danger."

"Tomoe what can we do?" Nanami asked. "You don't have fox fire and I don't have divine power anymore. It's best that we just listen to Mikage right now."

As much as it irritated him, Nanami was right. He wasn't a fox yokai anymore which meant he couldn't just go head on against any threat with fox fire like he used to. For now all he could do was just protect his family and let Mikage handle the rest. After that the family didn't leave the house much. Tomoe and Nanami took a leave of absence from work and the children were kept from school, thanks to Mikage creating false medical information saying that the family had come down with a rare illness that would last for quite some time. All was calm at first, nothing out of the ordinary until one day when Sakura and Geniji were playing outside they got that strange feeling that someone was watching them again only this time it wasn't just a feeling. This time they could see someone watching them. It was a man, at first glance he seemed like a normal looking man but there was something about his smile. Something that didn't seem right. It was a smile but it wasn't like the one Tomoe, Nanami, and Mikage gave them.

No this one was dark, twisted, scary. It sent shivers down there spines and made their little hearts beat with fear. Sakura clutched her white fox toy nervously, not sure what to do. Geniji gently grasped his sister's shoulder protectively sensing that something was wrong.

"Sakura I think we need to go inside now." Geniji whispered to her.

Sakura nodded, she then stood up and followed him up to the house.

"Hello there!" The strange man called in a seemingly friendly voice. The children looked back and saw that he was now much closer. The children froze both scared of what to do next. The man only kept staring at them smiling that creepy smile. "Shouldn't you kids be in school?"

They didn't answer.

"My aren't you a cute little girl." He said smiling at Sakura. "A girl as adorable as you must have a very pretty mommy."

He reached over to stroke her hair only to have Geniji jumped up and kick him in the face.

"Don't touch my sister kidnapper!" He snarled before taking his sister's hand and pulling her along as they ran back to the house.

The man clutched his jaw after the boy kicked him. Once he found a way to make the pain stop he continued on toward the door and knocked on it. The door was answered by Tomoe and Nanami.

"May we help you sir?" Nanami asked.

"The question is dear lady may I help you?" He asked smiling. His smile didn't seem right to Nanami and Tomoe either.

"My apologies sir but we have no interst in purchasing what you have to sell." Tomoe said.

"Oh no you misunderstand what I have to sell is free. I'm here to assist you in your dilemma."

"Dilemma?"

"Yes I heard that you all had been struck with a terrible illness and i've come to see if maybe I can heal you."

"That's quite alright we already have a fine doctor who's treating us."

"But we thank you for your concern." Nanami said.

The man looked at Nanami. Though he smiled his eyes held intense rage and hatred but it also held something else. Something that Tomoe noticed right away, something that made him want to slam the door and lock it right now. It was lust.

"Mommy." Sakura called.

Nanami went into the direction of her daughter's voice.

"You have a beautiful wife." The man said his gaze not leaving Nanami until she was out of sight. "Dare I say she's more beautiful than a goddess. You're a lucky man, not all men can get a wife like her. Makes me wonder what a man like you does to a woman who looks like that."

"Excuse me?" Tomoe said.

"Listen I'm not really a doctor." He said. "I'm here to warn you."

"I see about what?" Tomoe said not buying his act.

"Your family is in danger. You need someone to purge the great evil that is over this house. Please let me in so I can help you."

"I think you should leave." Tomoe started to close the door.

"Tomoe you wouldn't want Nanami to suffer as Yukiji did do you?"

At those words Tomoe froze, the door halfway closed as he looked at the man in disbelief.

"You remember what happened to her don't you? How sad and scared you were because you thought the woman you loved was gone and you were so happy when you found out she had been alive all this time and was now finally all yours. But despite that you still feel like something is going to happen to her, that something is going to take her and your children away and that you'll be all alone again."

"How do you know that?" Tomoe asked in scared disbelief.

"Because I'm very smart and I know that if you don't let me in that fear of yours is going to become a reality. Now why don't you let me in?"

Tomoe didn't like this man. Not one bit. Everything about him made him uncomfortable and scared. The thought of him being anywhere near his family made him both scared and angry. Getting a hold if himself he glared at the man and snarled.

"Get the hell out of here!"

He them slammed the door in his face and locked it.

"You're all gonna die in there!" He heard the man shout. "You can try to protect them fox but in the end we both know that you're completely useless and you'll be alone again!"

Tomoe fought the urge to go barging out there and beat the man to death. It pained him that he couldn't do anything except wait. The very thought of him not being able to keep his family safe scared him more than anything in the world. How was he supposed to protect them when he was just an ordinary human now?


End file.
